M. Night Shyamalan

[Farimir Captain of Gondor]

I did a thread search to see if he has already been talked about and found one for just The Village, so I decided to start a new one . I just watched his American Express commercial and it inspired me to do some looking up on him and found out he's coming out with a new movie called Lady in the Water. Here's a link about M. Night and a place where you can watch the trailer:

http://www.mnight.com/

I couldn't get it to play for me . I did look at some of the stills and who's going to be in it. I see he's bring Bryce Howard back, he has a way of bring back people he's used before. Paul Giamatti is going to be in it too.
I can't say to much more about it then this because he's keeping most of secret for now. I know it's coming out July 21 of this year and I'm kind of surprised I havn't the previews for it. Then again, i havn't been to the movies or been watching that much T.V. lately.

I think all all of his movies are amazing. IMO, he is the only real "scary movie" director left. The gory movies are okay and have there place but M. Night's movies have left me walking out everytime saying, " That just freaked me out." His plot twist and timing are matched by none, exept for maybe Hitchcock, and his characters all have that feel of "this could be me or someone I know". I like how he always finds a way to put himself in the movies too. I don't really want to say to much about any of the films in fear of giving something away, though I'm sure most of us have seen them, so I'll just list them in the order of much I liked them and why. Not an easy thing to do considering they were all great.

Unbreakable- I like the idea of this movie and the fact that it was made after a comic book character

The Sixth Sense- Haley Joel Osment and Bruce Willis were great together

Signs- Aliens without making the alien itself the scary part plus Jaoquin Phonix's character was awesome. "Swing away Merrill"

The Village- good consept and Jaoquin was again great but kind of let me down. It was my own fault.



What's everyones view of M.Night Shyamalan? Are you going to see this new film? Which of his movies did you like? Which one didn't you like?

[Rev. Justin Timberlake]

What began as a winning formula could turn out to hurt his future films.

It is a Shyamalan thing (generally speaking) to have a big twist at the end. However, audiences are now aware of this and as a result, there is a sort of "reverse" suspension of disbelief. IMO, watching a movie (as if it is) completely out of context pulls you out of it. You're thinking about the twist; thinking about the correct context of the film, and how it compares to what you are actually seeing.

I would prefer to be pulled into the universe of the film, and then follow it through to it's conclusion, whether twisted or conservative, rather than conduct extensive in-movie analysis of just how I've been misinterpreting the damn thing.

That's not to say that I don't like twists. I merely do not like this element of predictability.

[Farimir Captain of Gondor]

Originally Posted by Rev. Justin Timberlake

What began as a winning formula could turn out to hurt his future films.

Not if he stays creative and I think he's quit cable of doing that.

It is a Shyamalan thing (generally speaking) to have a big twist at the end. However, audiences are now aware of this and as a result, there is a sort of "reverse" suspension of disbelief. IMO, watching a movie (as if it is) completely out of context pulls you out of it. You're thinking about the twist; thinking about the correct context of the film, and how it compares to what you are actually seeing.

This is why The Village was disapointing to me but like I said it was my fault for going into the film expecting that twist. If you decide to go into the movie with an open mind, or a clear mind I should say, this wont happen and you can enjoy the things that come up. It might be hard to do though.

So, you not looking forward to the new film or liked any of his other ones?

[Rev. Justin Timberlake]

The Sixth Sense drew me in and caught me unawares. I enjoyed it. It was unexpected. Unpredictable.

Unbreakable.....meh. Should I have been more shocked at the twist?

The Village. After watching Unbreakable I felt less like I was being conned, so I was able to invest myself deeper into the film. The twist was silly, but it got me. Left the theatre rather unsatisfied though.

But now, his very name on a production changes the way I watch the film. You mention that things will be fine should one decide to go in with an open mind. But that is what I'm getting at. It is much more difficult (for me, now) to do so, and I don't like putting that type of effort into film watching. I am being asked to try to not imagine that everything I am watching is a "dream", or in some other way out of context.

A film like Identity is a case in point. I had no knowledge of Mangold or Cooney, and as such I went into the film without a frame of reference, and also without a preferred method of interpretation. And that is how the plot twist was so effective for me. I went in with an open mind, submerged myself in the realm of that hotel, and was yanked out unexpectedly towards the end.

Similarly, The Game is a good example.

I'll probably see Lady if I'm bored.

[Farimir Captain of Gondor]

Originally Posted by Rev. Justin Timberlake

The Sixth Sense drew me in and caught me unawares. I enjoyed it. It was unexpected. Unpredictable.

This, if i understand where your coming from, is because you had no previous experience with M. Night and his way of making movies? Which caught you off gaurd like the Identity did? Which, by the way, was an awesome movie.

Unbreakable.....meh. Should I have been more shocked at the twist?

I think this is because you went into the movie expeting a twist when IMO, there wasn't really suppose to be a big twist. This movie was more about a man coming to realization that he is exeptional and that he needs to use his ability for the good of man. I know that sounds cheesey but i didn't know how to word it better . I knew from the begining that that Elijah (Samuel L.) was behind everything but that was from knowing the story before I watched the movie. The same way you know Saruman is the "bad guy" before the FotR.

The Village. After watching Unbreakable I felt less like I was being conned, so I was able to invest myself deeper into the film. The twist was silly, but it got me. Left the theatre rather unsatisfied though.

Yeah I left feeling disappointed too.

But now, his very name on a production changes the way I watch the film. You mention that things will be fine should one decide to go in with an open mind. But that is what I'm getting at. It is much more difficult (for me, now) to do so, and I don't like putting that type of effort into film watching. I am being asked to try to not imagine that everything I am watching is a "dream", or in some other way out of context.

So do you consider a director who makes two or three comedies to only be a comedic director? Or, if a director makes a film like The Matrix trilogy (Wachowski brothers) can't come back and make another movie where you won't go into thinking "okay where's the bullet time stuff? or "where's the funny lines?"? I'm just trying to say, yes, some directors like M. Night do only make certain kind's of movies but to label them as such can ruin a film.[/QUOTE]

I'll probably see Lady if I'm bored.

I'll see for sure.

[b.banner]

i can't wait for Lady in The Water!